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Glossary terms about Backscattered Electrons

Backscattered Electrons (BSE)

Produced through an elastic scattering interaction with the atoms in the sample that results in the primary electron being re-emitted from the specimen. The electron is said to have backscattered (or reflected back) from the sample. In backscattering, the electron trajectory is changed by more than 90 deg from the forward direction of motion. This results in the scattered electron propagating back in the general direction of the original beam. Note that between the multiple elastic events (that form Backscattered electrons), the beam electrons may also be involved in inelastic events, and thus reduce the electron's energy. Backscattered electrons usually have energy in the kV range.